Hinge for display-boxes.



J. F. BRENT.

HINGBFOR DISPLAY BOXES. APPLICATION FILED 11110.23, 1909.

' Patented Oct. 11,1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. BRENT, 0F MARSEILLES, ILLINOIS.

HINGE FOR DISPLAY-BOXES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. BRENT, citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Marseilles, in the county of Lasalle and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Hinge for Display-Boxes, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in hinges, and although the same is especially designed for use in connection wit-h cracker boxes, it is of course not limited thereto, as it may be employed with equal success with display boxes in general or kindred articles.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of detachable hinges, which can be readily applied to, or detached from, a detachable glass front for cracker or other display boxes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge for the purpose described, in which means are associated therewith for holding open an upper hinged section of the detachable front.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which is extremely simple in construction, positive in operation, and cheap to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display box having a detachable and hinged glass front, and showing my invention applied thereon. Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view through a part of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the hinge; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the keeper.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, 6 designates the top of a cracker or other display box, 7 the bottom, and 8--8 the ends. Associated with Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 23, 1909.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

Serial No. 534,659.

the box, is a detachable front which consists of a frame, having side pieces 99, and end pieces 10-10. This front is longitudinally divided into an upper section 11 and a lower section 12, the sections being connected by a longitudinal spring-hinge 13 and also respectively supporting a plate 141 of glass or other transparent substance. The above construction of cracker box is now on the market, and forms no part of my invention, but has only been described to show the pre ferred form of box to which my improved hinge is adapted to be applied.

My invention comprises a novel construction of corner hinges, and consists of two leaves 15 and 16 respectively, which are preferably formed of sheet metal. The leaf 15 is substantially rectangular in shape, and is provided at one end with forwardly extending spaced upper and lower integral ears 1717. The opposite end of the said leaf 15 is bent at right-angles to form an outwardly extending flange 18. The flange is provided with a longitudinal and substantially L-shaped slot 19, preferably extending nearly the whole length of the flange, the foot 20 of the said slot being arranged at the bottom and extending inwardly toward the leaf 15, and having a wall which is preferably rounded to form a socket. The plate 15 is provided with a plurality of openings 15*, through which fastening means may be passed. The other leaf 16, of the hinge, is provided on one end with forwardly extending spaced upper and lower ears 21-21, which are adapted to be arranged directly between, and in register with, the ears 1717 of the plate 15. A pintle 22 is arranged within the registering ears 17 and 21. The plate 16 is preferably tapered, and the outer end or point 23 thereof, is slightly curved outwardly. The plate furthermore comprises a plurality of spaced and inwardly extending V-shaped teeth 24, which are stamped from the said leaf.

The invention further comprises a torsional coiled spring 25, which is interposed between the ears 21 of the plate 16, and the coils thereof, being arranged around the said pintle. The extreme ends 2626 of the spring, are respectively arranged outside of the leaves 15 and 17, and bear against each leaf. The leaf 15 of the hinge, is secured to the end piece 10 of the front of the lower section 12, and is secured thereto by means of screws 27 or other suitable fastening means. The lower section 12 of the front 7 tends to keep the upper section 11 in a closed position, and to facilitate a store-keeper or the like to keep the upper section 11 open for any desired length of time. I have provided a screw-eye 29, which is secured to the end piece 10 of the upper section 11, directly above the flange 18 of the plate 15. Carried by the screw-eye is a locking hook 80 which is bent at one end to form an eye 31, which engages the said screw-eye. The

7 other or free end of the hook is bent at right-angles in the direction of the flange to form a short arm 32. This arm is normally positioned within the slot 19 of the flange 18, and is then bent at right-angles in a plane parallel with the flange 18 to form a sto 33 for preventing the said hook from accidentally becoming detached from the said flange.

It will thus be seen that whenever it is desirous of retaining the upper section 11 in an open position for any desired time, the Same can be readily swung down to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, when the short arm of the hook 30 will automatically slide into the curved foot 20 of the L-shaped slot 19, and because of the upward pull of the said section, due to the spring hinge 13, the said hook will be retained in the'above described position until the same is released therefrom by hand, when the upper section will immediately close and assume the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. It will furthermore be observed that when the crackers in the box have been exhausted, it is only necessary to insert the finger under the curved oint 23 of the plate 16 and withdraw the V-s aped teeth 24 from engagement with the end 8 of the box. The whole front, including my improved hinge, can then be quickly secured in place on a full box of crackers, in the manner above described.

What I claim is 1. In combination with a detachable dis play front for boxes, a spring hinge composed of two sections, one of which is rigidly mounted on the outside of the display front and the other is provided with inwardly projecting teeth to engage the exterior wall of 4 the box, said hinge being mounted in place so as to bring the hinge pintle in a vertical plane at the outer edge of the display front, and the spring of the said hinge operating to force inwardly the toothed leaf of the hinge toward the box.

2. In combination with a detachable display front for boxes, comprising upper and lower hinged sections, of a spring hinge including'two leaves, one of the leaves being positively secured to the lower section of the front, and the other leaf having means for detachably engaging one end of the box for detachably securing the lower section of the front to the box, and means carried by the upper section and cooperating with the firstmen'tioned means for holding the upper section of the front in an open position.

3. In combination with a detachable display front for boxes, comprising upper and lower hinged sections, of a spring hinge in-. cluding two leaves, one of the leaves being positively secured to the lower section of the front, and the other leaf having a plurality of inwardly extending teeth stamped therefrom for detachably engaging one end of the box fordetachably securing the lower section of the front to the box, and means carried by the upper section and cooperating with the first-mentioned means for holding the upper section of the front in an open position.

4. In. combination with a detachable display frontfor boxes, comprising upper and lower hinged sections, of a means for detachably securing the lower section of the front to the box, said means including an outstanding flange having an L-shaped slot formed therein, and means carried by the upper section and having a portion thereof slidably mounted within the slot of the flange and adapted in one position to engage the foot of the said slot and thereby hold the upper section of the front in an open position.

5. In combination with a detachable display front for boxes comprising upper and lower hinged sections, of a spring hinge including two leaves, one of the leaves being positively secured to the lower section of the front and provided at its end opposite the hinge with an outwardly extending flange, the said flange having an L-shaped slot formed therein, and the other leaf having a plurality of inwardly extending teeth stamped therefrom for detachably engaging one end of the box, and ahook secured to the upper section of the front by a screweye directly above the said flange, the hook having its free end bent at right-angles and arranged within the L-shaped slot, the said end in one position being adapted to engage the foot of the said slot and thereby hold the upper section of the front in an open position.

6. A fastening device for detachable display fronts for boxes comprising a spring hinge, one of the leaves of which has a plurality of teeth stamped therefrom and projecting inwardly toward the adjacent end of the box, the other leaf being provided with means for rigidly securing it to the display front, the last-mentioned leaf being formed with an outwardly extending flange having an L-shaped slot, the latter being adapted to receive a hinged member for adjusting the display front.

7. A fastening device for detachable display fronts for boxes comprising a spring hinge, one of the leaves thereof being provided at one end with forwardly extending spaced upper and lower integral ears, and at the other end with an outwardly extending flange having an L-shaped slot formed there in, the said leaf having a pluralitv of openings for fastening devlces formed therein, the other leaf being provided with spaced upper and lower integral ears which are adapted to be arranged directly between and in register with the ears of the other leaf, the said leaf having a plurality of inwardly extending V-shaped teeth stamped therefrom, a pintle arranged within the registering ears of the leaves, and a coiled spring arranged between the said ears and surrounding the pintle, the free ends of the spring being respectively arranged on and engaging the outside faces of the leaves.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. BRENT. Witnesses:

W. A. MOREY, VVM. H. RoLLo. 

